Minor Ailments Scheme (MAS)
| Locality | Status |
| Bolton |
Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Bury | Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Manchester | Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Oldham | Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Rochdale | Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Salford | Extended eligibility criteria applies (See criteria below) |
| Stockport | Extended eligibility criteria applies (See criteria below) |
| Tameside | Extended eligibility criteria applies (See criteria below) |
| Trafford | Extended eligibility criteria will be rolled over until the end of April. (See criteria below) |
| Wigan |
Extended eligibility criteria has now ended. Patients registered with a GP in the Wigan locality have revert back to the reduced eligibility criteria from the 2nd April 2024. (See criteria below) |
Further information will be published here when available for localities that have rolled over.
GM MAS Patient Eligibility Criteria
The service can be accessed free at the point of use by residents within Greater Manchester set by the localities in which geography the service is delivered,
and who meets the financial eligibility criteria as per the published Greater Manchester Medicines Management Group (GMMMG) commissioning
statement. The GMMMG commissioning statement defines financial vulnerability as in receipt of the following income related benefits (in line with NHS
national criteria for help with prescription costs).
Locality areas following the below eligibility criteria are Wigan, only.
- Individuals named on a current HC2 charges certificate
- Individual or their partner receives Income Support, Income based Job seekers Allowance or Income related Employment and Support allowance, or
the person is a young person under the age of 20 who is dependent on someone receiving those benefits. - Universal Credit where entitlement to free prescriptions is stated on the Universal Credit award notice.
The service can be accessed free at the point of use by residents registered with a GP Practice within the Bury, Bolton, Oldham, Manchester, Rochdale,
Salford, Stockport, Trafford and Tameside area only, who are eligible to claim an exemption from NHS Prescription charges.
Only Bury, Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Manchester, Trafford, Salford, Stockport and Tameside locality area are using the exemption criteria below
• is under 16 years of age
• is 16, 17 or 18 and in full-time education
• is 60 years of age or over
• has a valid maternity exemption certificate
• has a valid medical exemption certificate
• has a valid prescription exemption certificate issued by Ministry of Defence
• is named on current HC2 charges certificate
• gets Income Support or income related ESA
• gets income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• is entitled or named on valid NHS Tax Credit Exemption certificate
• receives Pension Credit Guarantee Credit (including partners)
• Universal Credit and meets the criteria. Find out more at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/UC
key documents:
- Service Specification – 31/12/2023 – 31/03/2024
- GM MAS Formulary Update – February 2023
- GM MAS Patient eligibility to access the service
- Formulary Branded – Generic products
- Minor-Ailments consultation form -22/10/2020
- GM MAS PharmOutcomes Module Overview -11/09/2020
- Conditions which can be treated on the GM MAS
